The dot com boom of 1990s brought with it a laissez-faire attitude to dress code. Business casual was not a word that was part of our daily vocabulary.

Business casual may have been good for the dot comers, but the casual attire tried to find its way into other industries as well. Human resource departments all over the country were forced to reconsider their dress codes, many of them having to finally put theirs in writing.

Dress codes vary from industry to industry, and the company ultimately has the discretion in what their employees are required to wear. Some companies made it clear through employee manuals what was to be considered acceptable attire.

Now that the dot com era has settled a little, we are noticing that the trend is heading back to where it once was. Big business has gone back to a more formal dress code, realizing that they only have one opportunity to impress their clients.

Men